Avalanche risk very high in Alberta, B.C. mountains

A very high risk of avalanches in most ofthe mountain ranges in Western Canada haspromptedofficials to issue a special publicwarning.

The problem is a result of the extended dry period of late January and early February, saidCanadian Avalanche Centre warning managerKarlKlassen.

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"That long drought left the surface of thesnowpackin very bad shape, he said.

Now the new snow is sitting on one of the worst weak layers weve seen in a few years. That weakness is currently anywhere between one and two metres deep so, when its triggered, the resulting avalanches are very large.

There was an extremely large slide nearFernieearlier this week, saidKlassen.

The thing that's of concern right now is that the number of avalanches that we're seeing is actually decreasing as the layer kind of adjusts to the load that's been applied to it, he said.

But the size of the avalanche is getting larger.

Klassen said the risk stretches over most of B.C. and the eastern slopes of the Alberta Rockies.

The special avalanche warning for recreational backcountry users will be in place until Feb. 26. The dangerous conditions could last for weeks depending on the weather, Klassen said.